See
Teleférico
A 6.3km-long, 30-minute cable-car ride in eight-berth cabins that descend to the base of the Chicamocha canyon, then ascend to the top of the opposite rim.
©mehdi33300/Shutterstock
Santander
The north-central department of Santander is a patchwork of steep craggy mountains, deep canyons, plummeting waterfalls, raging rivers, unexplored caves and a temperate, dry climate. Mix them together and it's easy to see why Santander has become a favorite destination for outdoor lovers. Extreme-sports nuts can choose from white-water rafting, paragliding, caving, rappelling, hiking and mountain biking. Visitors with more sanity can enjoy exploring the rustic charms of Barichara, strolling the whitewashed streets of Girón or getting their dance on in the nightclubs in the department capital city of Bucaramanga.
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Santander.
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Las Gachas
Santander's answer to Caño Cristales, Las Gachas is a clear, shallow stream that emerges from a spring in lush countryside and runs along a red stone riverbed falling into dozens of individual-sized swimming holes – or jacuzzis as locals call them – along the way. Unlike its spectacular rival in the Macarena, the red color here comes from mineral deposits on the rocks rather than algae, but it is still an impressive sight and a delightful place to relax.
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Cascadas de Juan Curi
Take a day trip to this spectacular 180m-high waterfall where you can swim in the natural pool at its base or relax on the rocks. Adventure junkies can rappel the sheer face of the falls; book this activity with one of the tour companies. Juan Curi is 22km from San Gil on the road to Charalá. Charalá buses (COP$6300, one hour) depart twice hourly from the local bus terminal.
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Cueva de la Vaca
Located just outside the town of Curití, La Vaca is the most attractive and adventurous cave in the are,a with numerous caverns filled with stalagmites and stalactites. To explore the cave you'll need to go on a guided tour (90 minutes), which can be organized in town. At one point you'll have to swim through a submerged tunnel, although there's a rope to guide you along. Wear old clothes – you'll get muddy. Not for the claustrophobic.
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Parque Para Las Artes
A lovely little park decorated with impressive water features (although they were out of service when we visited), statues carved by local sculptors and an outdoor amphitheater that occasionally hosts live music concerts. From the park you can enjoy breathtaking views of the neighboring valley.
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Cascada Los Caballeros
The most impressive waterfall in the area, Los Caballeros is a thunderous high-volume wall of water tumbling off a spectacular 90m-high cliff in three stages. It's a one-hour drive on an unpaved road from town; the road passes very close to the falls so there's no need to hike far.
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Parque Nacional del Chicamocha
Don't be fooled by the name: Parque Nacional del Chicamocha, or 'Panachi' as it's known by locals, isn't a national park in the conventional sense. It's really a slightly tacky amusement park built atop some spectacular mountains. There are no hiking trails here, but there is a mirador (lookout) offering magnificent 360-degree views. The highlight of the park is the 6.3km-long, 30-minute teleférico, which descends to the base of the canyon, then ascends to the top of the opposite rim.
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Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción
This 18th-century sandstone church is the most elaborate structure in Barichara, looking somewhat too big for the town’s needs. Its golden stonework (which turns deep orange at sunset) contrasts with the whitewashed houses surrounding it. The building has a clerestory (a second row of windows high up in the nave), which is unusual for a Spanish colonial church.
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Parque El Gallineral
San Gil's showpiece is the salubrious Parque El Gallineral, a 4-hectare park set on a triangular island between two arms of the Quebrada Curití and Río Fonce. Many of the 1900 trees are covered with long, silvery tendrils of moss called barbas de viejo (old man's beard), hanging from branches to form translucent curtains of foliage and filtered sunlight. It's like a scene set in JRR Tolkien's Middle Earth.